Tusla Ratio Requirements 2026: The Complete Guide for Irish Creches
Last updated: August 2026
Official adult:child ratios for Irish early years services under the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016. These ratios remain in force in 2026.
Service types
- Sessional: up to 3.5 hours per day
- Part-time: more than 3.5 hours and less than 5 hours per day
- Full-day: more than 5 hours per day
- Drop-in / temporary: short-term or occasional care
Note: Full-day and part-time services use the same ratio table.
Full-day & part-time day care
| Age Group | Minimum Adult:Child Ratio |
|---|---|
| 0 – 1 year | 1:3 |
| 1 – 2 years | 1:5 |
| 2 – 3 years | 1:6 |
| 3 – 6 years | 1:8 |
Sessional pre-school service
| Age Group | Minimum Adult:Child Ratio |
|---|---|
| 0 – 1 year | 1:3 |
| 1 – 2½ years | 1:5 |
| 2½ – 6 years | 1:11 |
Drop-in centre & temporary pre-school service
| Age Group | Minimum Adult:Child Ratio |
|---|---|
| 0 – 6 years | 1:4 |
- No more than 2 children under 15 months unless they are siblings
- Always confirm current Tusla requirements for your service type
Key rules operators get caught on
- Ratios must be maintained at all times, including breaks, meals, and transitions — see ratios during breaks and lunches
- In mixed-age rooms, work out the adult requirement for each age band, then add those requirements together. Worked examples: mixed-age room ratios guide
- The Person in Charge counts in ratio only when actively working with children
- Unpaid students and scheme workers generally do not count in ratio
- If a sessional child stays beyond 3.5 hours, full-day/part-time ratios apply
- Ratios are usually one of the first things inspectors check on arrival — see what actually happens on inspection day
How mixed-age rooms are calculated
If a room has children from more than one age band, use the correct table for the service type, then combine the bands. Do not apply the youngest child's ratio to the whole room.
- Group the children who are actually in the room by age band.
- For each band, divide the number of children by that band's ratio (for example, 4 children at 1:8 is 0.5 of an adult).
- Add the adult shares together, then round up to a whole number of adults.
Full-day / part-time example:
- 1 child aged 1 (1–2 years, 1:5) → 1 ÷ 5 = 0.2
- 4 children aged 3 (3–6 years, 1:8) → 4 ÷ 8 = 0.5
Combined adult share: 0.7, so the minimum is 1 adult. That is not the same as treating all five children as if they were in the 1–2 band.
Apply these steps to your own numbers in the free Tusla ratio calculator.
Sources
- Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016, Schedule 6
- Tusla Early Years Quality and Regulatory Framework
- Citizens Information / Early Childhood Ireland summary guidance
Disclaimer: This guide is for general information only. It is not legal advice. Always check the current official Tusla regulations and Quality and Regulatory Framework for your service type.
TinyOrbit shows how many staff Tusla requires from the children expected in each room. Try the free Tusla readiness check.